Submarine mine.



T. K. NURH.

SUBMARINE M HvEA APPLICATION man MAR` B. 1ste.

` 1,286,526. .Patented oat. 1, im.

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UNTTED sTATJEs PATENT ii-FETCH.

THOMAS KEPPEL NORTH, OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO VICKERS LIMITED, 0F WESTMIN STER, ENGLAND.

SUBMARINE MINE.

Speciication of Letters Patent.

Patented 0015.1, 191s.

Application filed March 8, 1916. Serial No. 82,896.

This invention relates to submarine mines of the kind comprising a flotation chamber constituting the mine proper, an anchor containing a drum on which is wound a cable connecting the anchor to the flotation cham- Y ber and a plummet or sounding ball connected by a line to a ratchet pawl adapted to engage with ratchet teeth on the cable drum of the anchor; this plummet holds the ratchet pawl out of engagement with the ratchet teeth during the descent of the anchor in the water thereby enabling the cable drum to unwind, but when the plummet touches the` sea bed the said pawl is caused to engage with the ratchet teeth and the anchor then draws the flotation chamber beneath the surface of the water till it assumes va depth predetermined by the length of the line 1connecting the plummet to the, ratchet paw When a mine of thisl type is being raised during sweeping operations and the anchor and plummet are lifted off the sea bed, the aforesaid ratchet pawl may become disengaged from the` ratchet teeth of the cable drum under the influence of the weight of the plummet, with the result that the iota-A tion chamber floats to the surface of the water, and enables the enemy to explode the mine by gun lire. A similar action occurs in the event'of the plummet dragging along the sea bed owing to the tide or to other causes.

engaged from the ratchet teeth.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect we will describe the same more fully with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a constructional form of our improvements applied to a mine which is shown' by chain lines, and

Fig. 2 is a View on a larger scale of the aforesaid ratchet and auxiliary pawls.

A is the Hotation chamber, and A is the anchor. VB is the ratchet pawl for engaging with the teeth of the usual ratchet wheel B carried by the drum of the anchor cable, and Z) is the line connecting the ratchet pawl B to the plummet or sounding ball which is not shown. C is the auxiliary pawl that prevents the ratchet pawl B from becoming disengaged from the teeth ofthe ratchet wheel B after engagement has occurred.

The auxiliary pawl C is pivoted at c to the ratchet pawl B and both these pawlsare controlled by a helical spring c. This auxiliary pawl together with the spring c is normally housed within a cavity C in the anchor casing. This is the position shown by full lines in Figs. l and 2. When the ratchet pawl B engages with the ratchet wheel B', the spring c will cause the auxiliary pawl C to assume the position shown by chain lines which position is such that the lower end of the auxiliary pawl is situated close to the portion of the anchor casing contiguous to the cavity C. If a pull should be exerted upon the plummet line b the ratchet pawl B will therefore not become disengaged from the ratchet wheel B.

The aforesaid anti-vibration device as is well understood comprises a plunger D whose position varies with the number of revolutions that have been made by the anchor cable drum and which, until, a predetermined number of revolutions have taken place, lies in the path of a projection b on the ratchet pawl B and prevents it from engaging with the ratchet wheel B.

In conjunction With the teeth. on theV ratchet Wheel B We employ a spring coni trolled arm E which is so shaped that by its coperation'with the said teeth it Will act as a resilient brake during the rotation of the cable drum. This arm is pivoted on a bracket E to-Which isk also piveted the ters V Patent of the United States is j Y Copies of this) patent` may be obtained for 1j In va'rsubmarine mine,the combination With the drum for the anchor cable and the L Y' 1,289,526 y drum, of an auiiiliary for engaging With a vfixed part when the rst mentioned,

pavvly engages With the ratchet teeth, means for pivoting said auxiliary pavvl to the other ipawhf and a spring for controlling both pavvls. i

Within a cavityand engaging with a Wall of said cavity'when the first mentioned pavvl member for vengaging Vwithy teeth on said drum, of amovable device mounted on said member7 for engaging With a iXed part when the member engages' With the teeth. f

A Y 2. In a submarine mine, 'the combination k pavvl for engaging with ratchet teeth onlsaid With the'drum for thefanchor cable and the drum, of a movable device,V mounted on said cavity.

" 'engages'withfthe'ratchet teeth,y means for pivoting' saidauxiliarylpavvl to the other` Vpa'yvl`,"'an`d 'a springv` for controlling .bothV 'pavvlsfthis yspring being housed Within said 7`In' a submarine'dmine,"the combination .with tbedruomrfer the ancholableand the submarine mine, the corn b1' nationY Y `memberV for'V engaging with teeth von said' teeth, 'and means for pivoting said device on the pav'vl.

drum, of a device forren'gaging With a fixed K' part when the paWl engages yviththe ratchet teeth, means for-.pivoting saiddevi'ce on the p'aWl,V and a spring for controlling both vthe pawl and the said device.

y* fdrumyef ya Y'movable device VI'nounted on said l, member, "for engaging '-Wlth' a 'xed part Yvvhenmtliefmember]:engages with the teeth anda fdevicev preventing 'said member* from engaging with "their teeth until the cableV drum has made a predetermined number ofv revoluv Y tions. drumof a devl'ceforfengaging with' a fixed f8. Ina submarine 'minei lthe'combinat'ion' `Withthedrum Afontheanchor cable, and the pawl' for engaging with' ratchet teeth onsaid "idrunn' of'amovabl'efdevicegm'ounted on Said v .4; In `a submarine mine, the' combination f with ythe drum for the anchor cable andi the f pavvllfor'engaging With ratchet teeth on said lpaWl,A `forA engaging Withpa Viixedpart when :the paWl engage's'vvith the ratchet teethA and ya devicel ypr'evfent'ing said pavvll'fr'om` engaging 'with' `the'attchetteethuntil the loable: f

,A 5.,` Infa submarine mine, the combination With thedrum for the anchorcablerand the fpavvl vfor engaging With ratchet teeth on said drum" has made a revolutions.' j f t y .K l y In testimony whereof I affix myfsignatur'e.

predetermined number yof 1 THOMASKEPPEL ivonfrii.Y p

ve cents; each; by addressing'ithe Commissioner of Patents, p cWashingtomllC '-K v- Y f @A i 

